Commissioner John Marinatto says he is quietly exploring the league's best options

May 25, 2010|By Iliana Limón, ORLANDO SENTINEL

Big East Commissioner John Marinatto is preaching a calm, cool approach to the brewing conference expansion mania.

Most Big East coaches declined to comment on conference realignment chatter that looms large this offseason in college football, deferring all remarks to Marinatto. The commissioner said he is quietly working to make the best moves for the future of the Big East, but he declined to make any public statements about expansion.

He declined to address persistent rumors that the Big Ten Conference will expand, taking one or more Big East members with it.

"It's really inappropriate and irresponsible for me to comment about what somebody else might or might not do," Marinatto said. It's just not my place. I don't think it's appropriate. All I can do is talk about the Big East Conference and about our goal ultimately not only over the past five years but in moving forward to improve what we are because that's what we are all about. When I look back over the past five years and our plan from '04 when everybody rejected it and said it can't work.

"And then look, today, over those five years, look how successful we have been in creating it and now no one wants to lose it. Everyone, `Oh, it will never work, it will never work. 'But now, everybody's saying, `We can't lose what we created.' Well that's our goal obviously. And we're going to do everything we can to improve it. And there's this distraction that's been created, but I'm trying to still keep my eye on the ball because ultimately we just have to improve what we are. Because we're going to be here. It's not like we're going to go away. We're going to be here. We just have to make sure we keep going in the right direction."

Marinatto refused to tip his hand when it comes to UCF's future. The Knights, currently in Conference USA, are eager to move up to an automatic qualifying Bowl Championship Series conference and the Big East has widely been considered as a possible destination.

When he was asked how he felt about adding another school in the state of Florida, Marinatto laughed.

"Are you being speculative again," he asked. "I love Florida. I think our annual meetings should be here, and I'd love to move our offices here. I really would. I contemplated that earlier this year."

When he was asked again if he would like another team in Florida, he replied, "We don't want to get into speculation. I really, I can't do that."